


Day 14, Day 25

by Widowfics



Series: Varian and Whumptober 2020 [13]
Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Branding, Don't ask me why, Fire, Hurt Varian (Disney), Hurt/Comfort, Kinda, Post-Series, So yeah, Team Awesome (Disney: Tangled), Whumptober 2020, and plenty of angst, but who even cares at this point, disorientation, don't judge I'm just a freshman, it's also two chapters, my brain just decided, this is basically fluff, this is really random, with a side of whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:40:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27007480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Widowfics/pseuds/Widowfics
Summary: He must’ve fallen asleep at his desk, because he has no idea what time it is now. The last thing he can recall doing is looking over some plans for his first project as Royal Engineer. He thought he had been careful to make sure all his dangerous chemicals and tools were in safe places at all times, but apparently he hadn’t been thorough enough…Meaning this is his fault. Of course. It’s his first week on the job and he’s already burning the castle down.orVarian gets trapped in a lab fire.
Relationships: Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider & Varian, Lance Strongbow & Varian, Rapunzel & Varian (Disney)
Series: Varian and Whumptober 2020 [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1940524
Comments: 8
Kudos: 143
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	1. Is Something Burning?

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This one is kinda randomly pieced together, but I still hope you guys enjoy it! And there's a second chapter, so that's good I guess...
> 
> PROMPTS I USED TODAY: fire, branding (eh)

Varian notices three things when he wakes up.

The first is the heat. His entire body seems warm, uncomfortably so, but his eyelids feel too heavy to lift.

The second thing is the smell. Is something...burning?

His eyes fly open and his head jolts up, causing him to notice the third thing: bright orange flames raging through his lab. The roar of the fire fills his ears, and he makes the mistake of gasping. Smoke fills his lungs and he begins to choke and cough. He falls to the ground, knowing it will be easier to take in air here. He crawls under his desk, trying to get a second to think.

Once he knows he’s away from the ever-growing flames (for now), he pulls off his vest and presses it against his mouth, just taking a moment to breathe. He desperately tries to remember what the last thing he did is. He’s in his palace lab, which he had been working in late at night. He must’ve fallen asleep at his desk, because he has no idea what time it is now. The last thing he can recall doing is looking over some plans for his first project as Royal Engineer. He thought he had been careful to make sure all his dangerous chemicals and tools were in safe places at all times, but apparently he hadn’t been thorough enough…

Meaning this is his fault. Of course. It’s his first week on the job and he’s already burning the castle down.

The crash of burning wood breaks through his train of thought. Right, the castle probably hasn’t burned down yet, but it might if he doesn’t do anything soon. To help, he has to get out of here first. 

He takes one last deep breath into his vest, before bolting out from the desk, which has started to catch on fire. He manages to keep himself from reacting when his notes and sketches turn to ash, running towards where the door _should_ be. He dodges flames that threaten to latch on to his clothes, already beginning to cough from the little polluted air he manages to take in. He stands in front of the fiery exit, trying to figure out his next move, eyes watering from the smoky irritation. He squints, reaching for the door handle through the embers that fly around his vision.

That’s a mistake. Maybe if it had been another day, another time when he _wasn’t_ caught in the middle of a blazing inferno, he might’ve realized that touching metal in extremely high temperatures is not a good idea. But it isn’t, and he hadn’t.

He yelps in pain, jerking his hand back. He cradles it close, not daring to look at the burn his stupidity undoubtedly gave him. But he has to ignore it for the time being if he wants to get out of here, which he knows he’s running out of time to do. 

Clenching his teeth, he brings his foot up and smashes it into the door. It doesn’t come down, but he can feel it weakening. He kicks it a few more times, careful to avoid the door knob, his throbbing hand a constant reminder. 

Suddenly, he feels an unbearable heat right on his back. He realizes the fire has gotten closer, too close. If he doesn’t get out _right now_ , he’s done.

Holding his hand to his chest, he braces himself, before ramming his entire body into the door. It bursts off its hinges, causing Varian to stumble forward and lose his footing. He topples to the cold, hard ground of the hallway, coughing violently as he desperately takes in clean air. He pushes himself away from the flames the best he can, already feeling the adrenaline wearing off.

“Oh, Varian!”

Varian looks up, drowsily blinking as he tries to make out the person standing in front of him. They don’t give him any time, sliding to their knees and wrapping him in a hug. 

But he doesn’t even have to see them to know who this is, immediately recognizing Rapunzel’s gentle touch.

“H-hi…” is all he can think to say.

Rapunzel lets out a small laugh, but it’s filled with emotion.

“We saw the smoke coming from the room but the door was jammed and we thought you were going to be stuck in there-” she stops herself to give him another squeeze, letting out a shaky sigh. “Ok, it’s ok, you’re ok now. Come one, let’s get you to the medical wing.”

Together, they stand up from his spot on the ground, Rapunzel doing most of the work in lifting them. Once he’s on his feet, she slowly lets him go, allowing him to test his own strength.

Varian takes a step forward, not wanting to trouble anyone with carrying him. Almost immediately, he loses his balance and starts to fall again. Rapunzel’s hand immediately shoots out to grab his, successfully catching him.

Unfortunately, the hand she holds is the same one that he burned earlier. He jerks it back harshly, hissing at the irritation of his wound.

“Oh, Varian, you’re hurt!” she exclaims, looking guilty at causing her friend pain.

“It’s ok Princess, I’m fine,” he replies hoarsely, throat raw from continuous coughing.

“No, you’re not,” she insists. “Come on, we need to get you some help.”

Varian looks over at his lab, wincing internally as guards try to put out his mistake. They already seem to be getting it under control, but that doesn’t make him feel any better.

“I should stay,” he protests, trying to forget his stinging hand. “This is my fault, I should...I should…”

He trails off at Rapunzel’s disapproving look and crossed arms. She sighs and raises her eyebrows, reaching out and wiping soot off his face.

“That’s what I thought,” she says gently as she drapes his arm over her shoulder, making sure not to disturb his burn. 

She walks them away as quickly as possible, not giving Varian the chance to resist again. It doesn’t take long for Eugene to join them, running down the hallway from wherever he had been before. His anxious features seem to relax upon seeing the Princess and the Royal Engineer walking together.

“Oh, there you guys are. I came as soon as I heard,” he explains as he catches his breath. His gaze shifts to Varian. “It’s good to see you’re ok, kid. We were worried.”

Varian gives a small smile in return, showing his appreciation for the man’s comment.

“Yeah, about that. It’s not _all_ ok,” Rapunzel interrupts. “He’s hurt, and I don’t think he’s gonna be able to walk all the way to the infirmary.”

Varian opens his mouth to disagree with her, but is cut off by another string of coughs. These ones seem more powerful than the others, and his knees buckle, exhausted body finally giving out.

He hears concerned shouts, but they don’t sound as close as they should. The black spots dotting his vision help him realize that he’s losing consciousness. 

Without warning, strong arms scoop him up, thankfully not touching his hand. He doesn’t react, still coughing and quickly losing his senses.

The last thing he hears before passing out is Eugene’s comforting voice.

_“It’s ok kid, we’ve got you.”_

Then everything goes black.


	2. I Think I'll Just Collapse Right Here, Thanks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Varian opens one eye, lifting an eyebrow. “Was it that bad?”  
> Lance hums thoughtfully, tapping his fingers on the sheets.  
> “Why don’t you tell me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is the sequel to me randomly piecing together stuff that no one asked for. But Lance is here, so...
> 
> sorry
> 
> oh also Lance + Eugene = brothers so Rapz and Eugene + Angry and Catalina = aunt/uncle and nieces (math)
> 
> PROMPTS I USED TODAY: disorientation (for like, 2 seconds)

Lance sighs as he turns another page in his book, shifting in his armchair to a more comfortable position. In front of him lay a sleeping Varian on an oversized bed, looking both peaceful and oblivious to the world around him. Lance smiles to himself, knowing what a rare thing it is to catch the little guy actually resting and not burying himself in work. 

His expression darkens when he remembers  _ why _ the boy is laying in this recovery room, covered in blankets that make him look even smaller than usual. He had brought the girls to the castle today for their weekly visit with their aunt and uncle, but he knew something was off when the royal couple was waiting for them at the gate. All three had been shocked to hear the news, immediately worried about the kid. Rapunzel had assured them Varian was fine, just staying in bed for now as he recovered from some very minor injuries and smoke inhalation. 

Now the girls were with Eugene, most likely going over some fighting skills, and Rapunzel was dealing with some royal duties. Lance had decided to check on the kid himself while he waited for Catalina and Angry. And although Varian ended up being asleep, the room was nice and quiet, and as good a place as any to hang out till his daughters were finished.

He’s pulled out of his thoughts at the sound of shuffling. He looks up to see Varian moving under the blankets, seemingly done with his nap. He puts his book to the side, standing from his chair and assuming the kid is waking up.

But when he gets to the bedside, he realizes his mistake. Varian’s eyes are still closed, and his face suddenly looks far from peaceful. A thin layer of sweat is forming on his forehead and he’s visibly trembling. It’s obvious he’s having some sort of nightmare, but Lance isn’t quite sure what to do. He knows this isn’t uncommon for the kid, but he’s never been in a situation where he’s had to handle it. The best reference he has is when one of his girls has a bad dream, but he highly doubts this is the same.

A small whimper escapes Varian’s lips and reminds Lance that he has to do  _ something _ . Gently, he grabs the boy’s shoulders, shaking him slightly.

“Hey, wake up buddy!” he whispers, watching as the boy continues to mumble things unconsciously.

“N-no...leave me alone!”

Without warning, Varian jolts up, gasping as his eyes fly open. He looks around wildly, as if trying to remember where he is and why. He brings his right hand up to his chest, cradling it close and breathing heavily.

“Whoa there,” Lance starts, caught off guard by his sudden motions. “Hey, it’s ok.”

Varian snaps his gaze to Lance, whose presence seems to thankfully calm him down. He lets out a shaky breath, closing his eyes and leaning against the headboard.

“Hey Lance,” he breaths, then adds, “Sorry about that.”

“Oh, it’s ok,” Lance assures, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. “You know me by now, little man. You can’t scare me off.”

Varian opens one eye, lifting an eyebrow. “Was it that bad?”

Lance hums thoughtfully, tapping his fingers on the sheets. 

“Why don’t you tell me?”

Now Varian looks at him with both eyes, as big and blue as always. He gives a small grin, scoffing a little.

“Ah ha, really smooth,” he chuckles dryly. Then his smile drops as he looks away. “No...it was just, the usual. Well, plus a lot of fire.”

Lance nods, keeping his eyes on his young friend.

“Yeah...heard about that. Must’ve been a crazy night, huh?”

“To be honest, I don’t really remember most of it. Just busting out. Oh, and this stupid burn.”

He holds out his hand, showing off a large, red imprint in his palm. Lance sucks in his teeth, sympathizing for the kid. 

“Ouch.”

“Tell me about it,” Varian says, glaring at his hand with more annoyance than actual pain. Then his expression changes into something else. Something softer.

“Guess it’s what I get…”

Lance’s eyebrows crease at the offhand comment. He’s not unused to Varian’s somewhat self depreciating nature, but he  _ really _ doesn’t like it when it comes out. The kid deserves so much more than the crap he gives himself.

“For what? Almost getting killed?  _ Again _ ?” Lance asks, letting some of his irritation bleed through.

“For almost destroying the palace,  _ again _ ,” Varian shoots back.

Lance pinches the bridge of his nose, shaking his head.

“Buddy, you did  _ not _ almost destroy the castle,” Lance counters. “Yes, your lab’s...done. But it’s not gonna take too long to get you a new one, and it was not-”

“Don’t say it wasn’t my fault,” Varian interrupts, holding up a finger. “You can _ not  _ say it wasn’t my fault.”

Lance sighs, looking out the window briefly. Finally, he meets Varian’s eyes once again.

“Look, regardless of who’s fault it is, you can’t always blame yourself. It’s not  _ healthy _ , kid.”

Varian fiddles with his uninjured hand, looking away from the bigger man’s gaze.

“...you sound like my dad.”

“Well, your dad’s right.” He softly places a hand on Varian’s leg, causing the boy to look up at him. “Come on buddy. I know you know it.”

Varian hesitates for a moment, before finally letting out a sigh that sounds like defeat. 

“...yeah. I guess.”

“I’m serious.”

“Ok. I get it. It  _ may _ not have been my fault.”

At those words, Lance flashes one of his famous smiles, tapping Varian lightly with pride.

“Atta boy!”

Varian can’t help but smile too.

“And Lance?”   


Lance hums in acknowledgment.

“Thank you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yep sorry you had to read that. thx anyways!

**Author's Note:**

> thx for reading!


End file.
